Two recordings which showcase the sublime trumpet playing of the great Oscar "Floresita" Velasco O'farrill.

This post is really for "Floresita", not for the so called "star players".

In an interview with Felix Chappottin he says that "Floresita" was the major influence on him when he was a young man.Some absolutly beautiful trumpet playing by "Floresita" can be heard on these two sessions which both have been reissued and preserved on CD.Additionally, "Floresita" can be heard playing in Arsenio Rodriguez' conjunto (box set) and his superb playing can also be heard on the LP"Cuba Baila".#1- "Festival In Havana" 1955 was released as an American pressing on the Riverside record label. And reissued on CD in 2003 on Milestone.#2- "Sones De Ayer" 1958 LP.Reissued 1995 as "Miguelito Cuni con Septeto de Bienvenido Julian Gutierrez.On an Egrem CD."Festival in Havana" is a true 1955 "classic".Floresita's sublime trumpet playing is heard on all the six Havana style 'Congas'.Playing true "Havana style" trumpet for the "Conga" rhythm that is performed with the carnival Comparsa groups is highly stylistic and an art form not to be confused with playing "Son".Carlos Embale singing and a multitude of historically important and legendary drummers.He is the only horn player in both of these sessions.Miguelito Cuní with a Septeto, playing Sones written bythe greatBienvenido Julián Gutiérrez ("Sones De Ayer")Another excellent recording again showing "Floresitas" literally "sublime" trumpet playing.... this time playing 'Sones' ('Son'). I don't have words to describe Miguelito Cuní's voice.... not only on the Sones, but the boleros as well. "Niño" Rivera is the tresero on this.Lily Martinez and Nené Pedroso: piano.Bienvenido Cardenás: Bass.And the bongocero is Papa Kila.This has nothing to do with "old" school.... it has everything to do with "the school".For me... Floresita was the best trumpet player within this musical idiom.... hands down.Felix Chappottin & Chocolate Armenteros both being fine trumpet players with thier own unique individual sound may both have more "notoriety", but if you listen "closely" to Chappo' y Choco', you will hear Floresita.Floresita didn't play in the upper registers so a dog could hear him ten miles away.He played with pure soul! Alma Cubana. (and it ain't got nuthing to do with Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford brown, Kenny Dorham or Roy Eldridge)Oscar "Floresita" Velasco was "the man"!

6 comments:

Anonymous
said...

The Festival in Havana rec is the first rumba record ever. El Goyo tells the initial group was El Coro Folklórico Cubano, led by Odilio Urfé, and the name of the Gema record was "La Rumba y la Conga". The record had never been sold in Cuba.This group is still alive, led by Pedro Aspirina (Pedro Pablo Valdés Rodríguez). patricio

Page translator

visitors online

Welcome to Fidels Eyeglasses!

Cuban LP's and recordings which include particular "styles" and "forms" of (playing & singing) "Cuban" music that unfortunately have become, or are on their way to becoming lost art forms.As well as related materiel which may not be "directly" from Cuba.

Mostly LP's that are either long out of print and-or obscure and music from "my own personal collection".

Occasionally some Brasilian things will be added that are hard to find, even on the other great Brasilian blogs, many that are listed in my Blog links.And maybe some things that have nothing to do with Cuban or Brasilian music.

It takes time to do all this, scanning the covers, resizing and uploading, often changing & correcting the info.

****NOTE: DIVSHARE HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS WHICH MEANS MANY HUNDREDS OF SOUND FILES ON THIS BLOG WHICH TOOK 6 YEARS TO COMPILE ARE DEAD, SOME ARE STILL PLAYABLE, BUT UNTIL I FIND A NEW SOUND FILE HOST SERVICE, MANY WON'T PLAY.

About Me

Professional musician / percussionist.
Living, working and teaching in Manhattan, N.Y.C., U.S.A.
Born and raised in Manhattan, N.Y.C.
Lived in New Orleans from 1972 to 1986.
Produced and hosted the first Cuban music radio program in New Orleans on WWOZ from 1980-1986.
Been back in N.Y.C. 28 years and planing on getting the hell out very soon.